A Kiss of Shadows
by Helen Kiyonis
Summary: Daine and Numair’s daughter runs away to become a Shang Warrior! My first Fic!
1. In which Wills and Dreams collide

Disclaimer:: i do not own any of the main characters. If by chance you don't recognize a name, it is probably mine. i do not work for Tamora Pierce and no money do i get from this. i know that in the newest series, Trickster's Choice and Trickster's Queen (ok so I haven't read 'Queen' yet, but still) Daine's and Numair's daughter is named Sarra Lynn. (spelling?) but for the purpose of this Fic, it has been changed. Happy Reading!

A/N: i don't have a beta as of yet...not sure what one -IS-, but i will do my best not to create a hostile environment for my readers, if i happen to get any! :P

This Chapter is dedicated to Lorett, who, i hope will be as loyal in reviewing as i am to her, and if you are interested in Harry Potter Fics, She has a truly Awesome one called "The Three Keys" a definite high on the 'must read list'

Without further ado.. A Kiss of Shadows!

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Chapter One- Wills and dreams clash and collide

There is a scowl on Daine's face as she regards her child, a mixture of exasperation, anger, and fondness in her expressive face. Unruly chestnut curls frame her face, her luminous hazel/gray eyes are stern, even while her full mouth is trying to remain unsmiling.

The object of her irritation stands covered crown to toe in dust, which is falling gently around them, the table off to the side is in pieces, probably the result of the resounding BOOM that was heard only moments ago.

"Karma, what in the Mother's name have you done?" Daine said softly, taking the time it took to survey the damage to school her features back into place, to stop the laughter from escaping. Bone Dancer, the skeletal bird Daine accidentally brought back to life a few years ago perched on her shoulder.

The small head, which was turned downward examining the floor slowly lifts.. a chin as stubborn as her mother's is set, as is the face. The eyes are a vibrant green, and the hair is a brown black mix, with none of the maternal curl, with the exception of a lock or two on the forehead.

"I was 'sperimenting Mum" came the soft lisping voice of the child. 'Trying to do like Da does. But I couldn't make it work. How come you and Da have gifts and I don't?". That stubborn chin juts out as the all too familiar topic is brought out into the open again.

Daine sighs. "We have gone over this before. Firstly, you are not supposed to be playing around in your Father's laboratory. There are things in here that are very volatile, and I, for one, do not wish to see you harmed, or at the worst, dead because of it. Secondly, they will come in time." Was the explanation, said in a slightly tired tone, a tone that has all the nuances of an argument gone stale from over explanation. How do you tell your six year old, the child of the Greatest WildMage that ever lived, the child of the greatest Sorcerer that walked the living realms, the granddaughter of the God of the Hunt and the Green Lady, how could you explain that that you have had her powers bound for her own safety and possibly for the safety of others? How do you tell her that while she was in the womb she changed shape so often, and even afterwards, it took her Grandmother to make her pick a shape? Thankfully they also bound that part of her memory too. Who knows what children can remember at such a tender age?

"That isn't fair! Georgina has her gift! She is younger then me, and SHE can start a fire! Her brother David said he has had his all his life, and HE is only eight." Her tiny hands go onto her hips and she scowls, that stubborn chin jutting out again. "Either you are hiding something, or I simply don't have any. Either way you have been lying! And you said it is not nice to lie! It is bad to lie! If I don't have any gift, I wanna be a Shang Warrior!"

"Karma that is enough! Now go to your room. Your father will deal with you when he is done speaking with the King. NO don't argue anymore, just go."

The small face screws up in anger and Karma stomps away, pausing at the door, to turn and yell "I HATE YOU!" before slamming the door shut, or trying to, there wasn't much left. Daine looks around slowly and sighs, fighting back the tears that were threatening. No one said that raising a child was going to be easy, but she didn't think it was going to be that hard.

Some time later, Daine and Numair lay in bed, her head on his chest as she tells about what happened that day. After bringing Karma up some dinner, she found the girl had cried herself to sleep. Leaving the tray there, Diane simply waited for her husband to come home. His brows furrow slightly as he listens and then he sighs.

"You know, maybe she is right. She should know, about what she can do. Hells Fire, Di, it is getting harder and harder to hold onto the wards as it is. I am afraid everything is going to leak out one day, and we won't be around to stop it. What do we do then?"

"But Numair she is only a baby! She can't handle any of this. I refuse to put her into a position where she gets hurt."

"Don't you see, my little maglet? She is already hurting. She knows she has something, that she is special but she can't see it. She is going to do something rash soon. We will speak to her in the morning."

But little did they know, that at that precise moment, Karma was doing something rash. Little Karma was running away..and there would be no morning for her parents to speak to her in, unless they found her. Sadly with the wards place upon her, she could not be scryed for by magical means. So yes, something rash has indeed happened.

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Please read and respond! This is my first fic, so please do not flame me if you do not like it. Constructive criticism is always welcomed


	2. Come and Seek

Disclaimer: Don't own any of the chars, except Karma, and She is a slightly borrowed creation, though her name has been changed. Any new chars, any names you don't know, they are mine, the plot is mine, everything else belongs to Tamora Peirce.

A/N: All hear this! There is a beta now.. any bad remarks to grammar or spelling should be directed to her.. not me! Thanks go to **theaskerofthequestions** for pointing out the mistake in spelling. All my books are out in the storage shed and were not handy for reference..thanks again!That being said, i have a shout out as it were... read "The Three Keys" by lorett. Its here on , and is a great work. For those anime fans out there, Dischord has a great Inuyasha fic, "Whatever may come" its worth a read or two!

And now.. on with the show!

_**Chapter Two: Come and Seek**_

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Little Karma held her pack close as she paused at the entrance of the wood. She told herself that she could do this. She would show them. She knew the woods like the back of her hand, Daine had taken her out many times, both to meet the inhabitants therein and to learn what was good to eat and what was not. It would not do for the Wild Mage's daughter to die because she ate something inedible or to simply die of starvation because she did not know what **WAS** edible. She knew there were streams aplenty in this wood, but she wasn't sure about other places, so, like the daughter of her parents, she brought along a water bottle, (several in fact.) Those canteens where at the bottom of the pack, which also held clothes a few pieces of traveling bread, and some dried fruit and jerky. She brought the meat because, while she knew the basics of hunting she couldn't hunt well enough on her own, to supplement that part of her diet. One of her earliest lessons was that no matter how much edible greens could be found, the body will starve itself without the nutrients that meat could bring.

Steeling herself, Karma took a breath and whispered, "I don't want to be found" and the night seemed to hush, before it came alive again with the normal night sounds. She used to play a game, a come and seek game with Daine, and it was one of the ways in which the forest was silent, it would not tell Daine which way Karma had gone, the animals would not tell on her. Resolutely now, she squared her shoulders and marched into the wood, to play the best game of come and seek she had ever played.

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As usual, Daine was the first awake in the morning. The silence from Karma's room wasn't surprising.. The girl could be stubborn, and was probably still sulking in her room. Making her way to the kitchen after freshening up from sleep, she busied herself with making the morning meal, putting water to boil for tea, and sat quietly, waiting for it to be ready. She wondered when exactly Karma was going to come down. She usually didn't sulk for this long, but then again, they normally didn't go at it like that. Numair wandered into the kitchen, kissed the top of her head then sat down with tea.

"Is she up yet?" he asked taking a sip of tea. Daine shook her head "No, I don't think so. I will go up to check on her anyway. I told her you would speak to her about your laboratory. I will call you up after I have talked with her."

At his nod, she went upstairs, slightly fretful. While Karma had a stubborn streak to her, she never sulked this long. Maybe she was still sleeping, tired out from yesterday's events. Yes, perhaps that is all it was. She prayed that is all it was. She knocked on the door softly calling out "Karma? You awake sweetie?" hearing no reply, she pushed open the door and froze. She took in the empty, unmade bed, the general disarray of the room, the clothes hanging out of open drawers, and finally the open window. There was a lump in her throat, so hard, that it was almost painful when she finally screamed out "KARMA!" with such loudness that Numair came tearing into the room, even before the scream had died away.(those long lanky legs of his you know.) He glanced around, blinking, and then looked to Daine mildly confused, before comprehension dawned.

"She's gone?" he asked, rather stupidly. Of course she was gone. He sighed shook his head, and pulled Daine into his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head while she cried. After a few moments, Daine collected herself and pulled away slightly.

"We have to find her. You know as well as I that she could not have been taken. The animals wouldn't have stood for it, even if we couldn't spell the house for fear of others knowing where we both were." There is just a slight trace of panic in her voice, but she pushed on. "It is a shame we can't scry for her, that would make this so much easier. We don't know when she left, or which way she went. Curse me for a fool for getting a cottage built in the middle of a forest. We have to contact Alanna and George, to let them know. I don't think she would go as far as Pirate's Swoop, but you never know what she will set her mind to, and.."

"Daine slow down." Numair said in soft exasperation. "We have covered this many times. Just because we can't scry for her by means of the gift, doesn't mean that **you** can't find her. Ask the animals if they have seen her, talk to them. Wild magic cannot be dampened or hidden. Remember the battle at Pirate's Swoop darling?" his voice was chiding but kind.

Daine's cheeks colored with a soft blush and she muttered something definitely not nice, then went to the window, leaned against it, and closed her eyes; instantly she was bombarded with hellos and well wishes from the animals both around the house and within as well. After a moment of greeting them in return, she was startled to hear one of the house dogs say _–The game is afoot, Daine. She does not wish to be found- _After a moment of shocked silence on her part, she thanked the hound, then turned to Numair, whispering, "She doesn't want to be found. They all think we are playing come and seek. She told them she didn't want to be found. What are we going to do?"

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And thus ends another chapter!


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